1. Field of the Invention
The present invention is concerned with mowers comprising cutting members supported by a chassis.
These mowers can additionally comprise supplementary working members such as, for example, conditioning means for cut crop.
Already known are mowers which have considerable working widths. At least a part of their working members generally extends substantially along the entire working width of the machine. Since these working members are relatively large and in general are relatively voluminous, they create problems in manufacture, storage and transport. But they also create problems with respect to the work obtained, for certain of these working members become less and less effective as their working width increases.
2. Object and Summary of the Invention
The present invention has for an object to provide a mower which does not present the drawbacks of prior art mowers while providing work of a satisfactory quality.
To this effect, the mower or reaper according to the invention is characterized by the fact that the chassis is equipped with an intermediate structure intended to at least partially support the cutting members which extend on each side of the said intermediate structure, and that in the vicinity of the intermediate structure are arranged means intended to prevent the attachment of crop to said intermediate structure.
In the case where the mower comprises supplementary working members, such as members for conditioning crop for example, the mower according to the invention is characterized by the fact that the chassis is equipped with an intermediate structure intended for supporting at least in part the cutting members and/or the supplementary working members, said cutting members and said supplementary working members extending on either side of the intermediate structure. The mower is also characterized in that in the vicinity of the intermediate structure are arranged means intended to prevent the attachment of crop to said intermediate structure.
Thanks to the invention, the mower thus can have a considerable working width even though at least a part of its working parts (cutting means or supplementary working members) have a reduced length. These working parts thus can be made more easily. Moreover their storage and their transport, as well as the storage and the transport of the mowers becomes easier.
Also, the decrease in the quality of the work achieved by certain working parts whose working width is too large, is eliminated. In fact, even though the total working width of the mower be considerable, the working width of said working parts is relatively reduced.
Despite the presence of the itermediate structure which extends inside the work width defined by the cutting members extending on either side thereof, the mower can nevertheless, thanks to the invention, effect satisfactory performance.
In fact, to achieve this purpose, the invention provides means intended to prevent the attachment of crop to the intermediate structure. Thus, risks of lumps formed by the attachment of the crop to the intermediate structure are substantially decreased or eliminated.
According to one embodiment of the invention, the means intended to prevent the attachment of crop to the intermediate structure extend at least partially under the intermediate structure and advantageously near the front thereof.
According to another embodiment of the invention, the zone of action of the means intended to prevent attachment of crop to the intermediate structure is located at least partially in front of the cutting line of the cutting members.
Moreover, said means intended to prevent attachment of crop to the intermediate structure can, in accordance with the invention, extend at least in part in the vertical plane of symmetry of the intermediate structure.
According to another embodiment, said means can also extend at least partially on either side of the vertical plane of symmetry of the intermediate structure.
According to another characteristic of the invention, it is provided that the means intended to prevent attachment of crop to the intermediate structure are fixed on the mowing machine in such a way as to at least pivot upwardly. In this fashion, said means can adapt themselves to the topography of the terrain on which the machine operates. This makes it possible for said means to effect a satisfactory performance and not to be damdged by possible protuberances in the terrain.
According to an embodiment of the invention, it is provided that the pivoting of the means intended to prevent attachment of crop to the intermediate structure takes place about an axis directed transversally to the direction of operation of the machine.
Additionally, it is provided that the pivoting of said means can be prevented or is limited downwardly. This in particular makes it possible to maintain said means spaced apart from the soil during transportation.
According to an additional characteristic, it is also provided that the pivoting of said means is upwardly limited. This avoids interference between these means and parts of the mowing machine, interference which could cause damage in particular when said means are driven.
The means intended to prevent attachment of crop to the intermediate structure can additionally comprise in this invention members by means of which they can bear at least mementarily on the ground.
According to another characteristic of the invention, the means intended to prevent attachment of crop to the intermediate structure comprise means for entraining crop. These entraining means entrain crop which has been cut by the cutting members in such a way that it can be well laid out behind the cutting means or well taken up by additional working members.
According to an advantageous embodiment of the invention, the entraining means for the crop rotate about at least one axis which is upwardly directed. Advantageously also these means are arranged at least partially above at least one of the cutting means located near the intermediate structure. If this cutting means is rotary, these preferably rotate with this cutting means.
These means for entraining the crop thus are particularly efficient in freeing the crop which is present in front of the intermediate structure.
According to a preferred embodiment of a mower according to the invention, a cutting member extends on either side of the vertical plane of symmetry of the intermediate structure and substantially above each of these cutting members are arranged at least in part means for entraining crop.
Advantageously these means for entraining crop rotate substantially about the same axes as the cutting member above which they extend at least partially. Also advantageously it is provided in the invention that the means for entraining the crop rotate substantially at the same speed as the cutting member above which they extend at least in part.
According to an additional characteristic of the invention, the means for entraining the crop comprise at least one driven drum. Advantageously it is provided that the drum is provided with means which increases its performance. Advantageously also the drum can have the shape of a truncated cone.
According to another characteristic, the means intended to prevent attachment of crop to the intermediate structure comprise means for separating the crop. It is also perfectly possible that these means for separating crop be arranged on a mowing machine co-jointly with means for entraining the crop.
Advantageously these separating means extend preferably up to and past the front of the cutting line of the cutting members.
In this fashion, crop which is present in front of the intermediate structure can be separated before being cut by the cutting members.
According to an additional characteristic, the means for separating the crop comprise a cutting device.
According to one embodiment, it is provided that this cutting device is constituted by a knife whose cutting edge is forwardly directed.
According to another additional characteristic, the cutting device is driven. Advantageously this device comprises at least a series of moving teeth.
According to another additional characteristic, the means for separating the crop are constituted by at least one surface having a frontal edge.
Preferentially, the cutting edge of the knife, the series of teeth of the driven cutting device, or the frontal edge of the separating surfaces extends rearwardly and upwardly.
These separating means separate in particular stems of crop which are laid transversely to the operating direction of the mowing machine in the vicinity of the intermediate structure.
In the instance where the separating means comprise a cutting device, the stems of crop which are laid are cut in two. These stems separated or cut in two can then easily be cut by the cutting means which extend on both sides of the intermediate structure and be entrained to be deposited behind the cutting members or for take-up by additional working members without their being able to attach to the intermediate structure.
According to another characteristic, the means intended to prevent the attachment of crop to the intermediate structure comprise means for guiding the crop. Within the scope of the invention it is also possible that these guiding means be arranged on a mowing machine conjointly with means for entraining and/or separating the crop.
According to one embodiment, the guiding means are constituted by two non-horizontal surfaces which extend one near the other in the front part and which diverge rearwardly.
When the means for separating the crop comprise at least one separating surface, the guiding surfaces are advantageously substantially connected to the separating surfaces.
These guiding means for the crop properly channel crop on both sides of the intermediate structure in order that it be deposited behind the cutting means or be taken up by additional working members.
It is provided according to the invention that when the guiding means can pivot about an axis directed transversely to the operating direction of the mowing machine, the space between the guiding means and the intermediate structure be at least partially closed by closing means.
According to one embodiment, these closing means are constituted by two non-horizontal surfaces which extend one near the other in the front and which diverge rearwardly.
When the guiding means are constituted by two non-horizontal surfaces which extend one near the other in the front and which diverge towards the rear, the closing surfaces extend at least partially between these guiding surfaces.
According to another characteristic of the invention, the intermediate structure supports at least in part the means intended to prevent the attachment of crop to said intermediate structure.
According to an additional characteristic, the intermediate structure supports the beam which makes it possible to connect the mowing machine to a pulling vehicle.
According to another additional characteristic, the intermediate structure supports at least in part the mechanism which transmits motion.
The intermediate structure is thus a subassembly of a mowing machine on which has been assembled a large number of members which fulfill important functions.